Trump to CNN reporter: You are an enemy of the people

During press conference following elections, Trump engages in heated confrontation with CNN reporter.

Tal Polon, 07/11/18 20:58

Trump at press conference

Reuters

US President Donald Trump had harsh words for a CNN reporter who heckled him during a press briefing Wednesday, following the midterm elections in which the Democrats retook the majority in the House while the Republicans maintained their Senate majority.

The reporter, CNN’s Jim Acosta, questioned Trump about his characterization of a migrant caravan making its way to the US border from Mexico as “an invasion.”

Acosta asked if Trump thought he had “demonized” immigrants during midterm election campaigning, to which Trump answered, “Not at all. I want people to come into the country, but I want them to come in legally.”

When Acosta kept prodding Trump, asserting that the migrants were “hundreds of miles away,” Trump fired back, “You know what, I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN, and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better.”

After Acosta continued to ask Trump about the "Russian investigation" despite Trump’s demand that he "put down the mic," a White House official finally took the microphone away from him.

Trump then scolded Acosta, calling him a “rude, terrible person."

“CNN should be ashamed of itself having you work for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn’t be working for CNN.

“You’re a very rude person. The way you treat [press secretary] Sarah Huckabee is horrible, and the way you treat other people is horrible. You shouldn’t treat people that way.”

"When you report Fake News, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people," he added.